The PM told 5 News: “I think it is something that we should look at. The problem in the past when people have looked at using the tax system in this way is the impact it can have on people on low incomes.

“But frankly, do we have a problem with the growing level of obesity? Yes. Do we have a kind of warning in terms of - look at America, how bad things have got there - what happens if we don’t do anything? Yes, that should be a wake-up call.”

He warned that obesity was on the verge of overtaking smoking and drinking as Britain’s biggest health challenge.

“Don’t rule anything out, but let’s look at the evidence and let’s look at the impact on families,” he said.

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